I recently had a conversation, in which the person, with whom I was speaking explained that the Butte County Sheriff, Kory Honea, was responsible for a false evacuation of the areas beneath the Oroville Dam.

I do not know the Sheriff, or any of the players in this farcical play that is in the middle act in central California. I do have some opinions, though, and as has been proved time and again, I am prone to voice my opinions. The sheriff made the call to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people. It choked roads and inconvenienced many families. It must have been a difficult decision.

I watched the “news conferences” and I watched the dam. As has been pointed out on multiple occasions, it is truly “none of my business.” I suppose that the potential death of a couple of hundred thousand innocent people is, indeed, none of my business. I suppose that it is no one’s business. Perhaps it is everyone’s business. In any case, I have made it my business. Some hate me for saying what I believe, some love me. I don’t care. I make my statements, which I truly believe to be true, to help. I understand that these points irritate and hurt feelings. I am uncaring about hurt feelings. I am caring about life. I say what I say for selfish reasons, so that I do not have to look back and wish that I had said something.

The sheriff did what he had to do, at a time when others were paralyzed in fear. He acted as a sheriff and as a gentleman. He made the difficult call, it was the right call, and I would have done what he did if I was in his shoes. The dam did not break. I am glad that the dam did not fail. I am certain that the Sheriff, too, is glad that the dam still holds. Now those who look for fault, turn to the sheriff. “Was he too quick to act.” “Was he wrong.” “Should he have kept his mouth shut and stood quietly beside the others?” Someone must make a stand here, and it might as well be me.

Butte County Sheriff, Kory Honea Did what he should have done. He was right, and he was timely. His actions were wholly appropriate. The dam was only minutes away from a catastrophic failure. Others will now say otherwise. It is easy to be bold after the sun comes out and all seems quiet. Most will never understand how close we came to a horrible and irreparable failure. It was but minutes away.

The likelihood that the sheriff’s actions took a hundred thousand people out of harms way is 100%. The likelihood that his actions may have saved so many lives is absolute. Shame on men who question his actions. With the dam literally breaking, he acted as he should have acted. I doubt that anyone else involved would have, or could have. I promise you that he was right.

There is plenty of opportunity to criticize. There are many who failed to do what they were responsible to do. Do not tolerate attacks on this man, who acted with honor. When all hell broke loose, he protected you.

Scott Cahill